Contents -- Preface and Acknowledgments -- Introduction. Portrait of a Television Critic -- Chapter One. The Golden Age of Television Drama -- Television Debut: Theatre Guild Makes Video Bow on NBC with Production of ''John Ferguson'' -- Matter of Form: Television Must Develop Own Techniques If It Is To Have Artistic Vitality -- ''Julius Caesar'': Worthington Miner's Version in Modern Dress Proves Spectacular Television -- A Plea for Live Video: Switch to Film for TV Was a Major Mistake -- NBC Playhouse Offers Valid and Moving Hour with Production of Paddy Chayefsky's ''Marty'' -- ''Patterns'' Is Hailed as Notable Triumph -- TV's Psychodrama: How to Keep 'Em Down on the Couch after They've Written for TV -- Cheese, Mustard Ad Also Stars on Kraft Theatre -- ''Requiem for a Heavyweight'': Rod Serling's Drama Scores a Knockout -- Study of Alcoholism: Piper Laurie and Cliff Robertson Are Impressive in ''Days of Wine and Roses'' -- Chapter Two. The Shadow of a Blacklist -- Case of Jean Muir: Principles of Fair Play Yield to Pressure -- Again, ''Red Channels'': The Civil Liberties Union Revives an Issue -- The Case of Lucille Ball: Treatment of the Star Should Be Standard in the Industry -- Fifth Amendment: Danger Seen in Union Plan to Punish Members Claiming the Privilege -- Report on Blacklisting: Fund for the Republic Study Dealing with Radio-TV Is Found Deserving of Commendation and Censure -- What a Blacklist Means: A Review of John Henry Faulk's ''Fear on Trial'' -- Blacklisting's Effect: Censored Tape of Jean Muir's Remarks on '50s Travails Shown on ABC -- Chapter Three. The Rise and Fall of Edward R. Murrow -- Edward R. Murrow's News Review ''See It Now'' Demonstrates Journalistic Power of Video -- Murrow's ''This Is Korea'' Film over CBS Captures Poignancy and Frustration of Life in Battle.

Celebrity Time: Murrow Puts Cameras into Their Homes in ''Person to Person'' -- Video Journalism: Treatment of Radulovich Case History by ''See It Now'' Is Fine Reporting -- Murrow vs. McCarthy: ''See It Now'' on CBS Examines Senator and His Methods -- ''See It Now'' Finale: Program Unexpectedly Ends Run of Seven Distinguished Years on CBS -- ''Harvest of Shame'': Exploitation of U.S. Migratory Workers Is Documented on''CBS Reports'' -- Murrow Departs: Commentator Leaving Broadcast Post for Challenging Federal Job -- Chapter Four. The Influence of a Critic -- Kaufman Incident: ''This Is Show Business'' Dismisses Panelist for Pre-Christmas Quip -- On Faith Healing: Preacher's Timely TV Miracles Raise Questions of Stations' Standards -- Disgrace of the Networks: Chains Ignore Session at United Nations -- More on U.N.: Networks Make Limited Progress in Their Coverage of World's Realities -- TV Can Be Good, Too: ''The Play of the Week'' Is a Case in Point -- Madison Avenue Case Study: ''The Play of theWeek'' Faces Doom Jan. 30 -- ''The Play of the Week'': Demise of Drama Series Has Economic Moral -- Lively Panel Show: Betty Furness Is Spry Hostess on WNTA -- Chapter Five. A Critic's Likes and Dislikes -- Comment on ''Today'': NBC's Early Morning Show Needs Some Work -- The Nixon Telecast: Personal Story Brings High Drama to TV -- Sweeping and Imaginative in Conception, ''Omnibus'' of Ford Foundation Makes Video Debut -- Why Millions Love Lucy -- Delightful ''Peter Pan'': Marriage of Media Is Noted in Inspired Video Offering -- Johnny Carson: CBS Offers Answer to That Man Gobel -- New Phenomenon: Elvis Presley Rises to Fame as Vocalist Who Is Virtuoso of Hootchy-Kootchy -- Witty Commentator: Brinkley Enlivens NBC Convention Coverage -- Elvis Presley: Lack of Responsibility Is Shown by TV in Exploiting Teenagers.

Tribute to ''Omnibus'': Expected Loss of Program Brings Call for Similar Experimental Shows -- Forthright Radio News Program: Smith's Analysis of Alabama Violence Shows Real Role of Commentator -- Chapter Six. The Quiz Show Scandals -- Man in the Street: The Public Often Can Outshine TV Stars -- Quizzes Mostly Talk: ''64,000 Question'' and''Big Surprise'' Use Less than Half Their Times on Queries -- Under Suspicion: Investigation of Quiz Shows Shakes Viewer's Faith in TV's Integrity -- A Plague on TV's House: Rigged Quiz Shows Viewed as Symptom of the Age, with Many Guilty Parties -- Journalists' Junkets: Quiz Show Headlines Raise Question of How Clear Is Conscience of Press -- The Quiz Scandal: Legal and Moral Issues of Van Doren Affair Said to Need Resolution -- Formula for TV: Quiz Scandal Shows a Need for New Rules -- Assessing Effects of Life under the Table: Influence of ''Payola'' on Culture Weighed -- Chapter Seven. Children and Television -- Kukla and Ollie: Burr Tillstrom's Puppets Have a Spirit and Personality Unique in Video -- Hail Howdy Doody! He Triumphs over Mr. X, Survives Mr. Y and Always Delights the Youngsters -- Video and Children: Parents and Broadcasters Have Separate Roles -- A Boy's Question: School Youngster Raises an Issue for Video -- Pinky Lee Show Turns Children's Hour into a Conspiracy against Parents -- Peril in Small Pills: Pushing of Vitamins by ''Ding Dong School'' Indicates Deficiency in Commercials -- Juvenile Audiences Suffering from Chains' Delinquency in Planning -- Parent-Teacher Organization Issues Its First Appraisal of Programs -- Chapter Eight. Tracking the Impact of Television -- The Paradoxical State of Television -- Family Life, 1948 A.T. (After Television) -- TV Daddy and Video Mama: A Dirge -- What TV Is-and What It Might Be -- TV at the Crossroads: A Critic's Survey -- Europe's TV Picture-and Ours.

Chapter Nine. Television and Its Critic -- TV Tube Bites TV Critic -- Television Today: A Critic's Appraisal -- Tuning in on Dixie: Mocking Birds Sing, but Who Listens? Everyone's Inside Looking at TV! -- Where TV Critics Strike Out: Some Sweeping Charges about Their Manifold Deficiencies -- A Critical Reply: An Answer to Objections Raised in the TV Industry to the Role of Critics -- Critic Dissects the Anatomy of a Flop, Ruminates about His Role on ''Open End'' -- Index.